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Chapter 1
The tension was thick in the air. Mac willed his heart to slow down as they approached the brick apartment building. His MP5 was comforting to him—he aimed it well. His team, Team Alpha of the Columbia SWAT, was one of the best in the state of South Carolina.
Today, they were infiltrating a well-known crack house and they were to obtain a notorious drug dealer that, according to a trusted informant, would be in the building today.
Sergeant Marcas MacArthur was leading his men into this building to safely secure the premises and obtain the target. SWAT officers were trained for high-risk situations such as serving a warrant for a dangerous target.
Together, the four-man team trailed behind each other without making a sound. Brodie, his entry man, was in front of Mac with Declan and Ashton pulling up the rear. They approached the door with Mac issuing hand signals for Declan and Ashton to move to the opposite side of the doorframe. All men were ready to breach the building, decked out in their black tactical gear with SWAT brandished on their ballistic vests.
The other three members of their team were posted outside. Myles, the sniper, would be posted with his rifle drawn and ready, if needed. Zain and Iker were located out back to cover the rear door should the target try to escape.
Mac’s eyes met those of Declan’s through his dark goggles. Their faces were hidden by their black masks, leaving only their eyes visible through their goggles. Their bodies resembled shadows in their protective gear, their weapons dark shapes.
As members of such a team, there was a blind trust between all members. They went into highly dangerous operations almost daily and had to know that they could trust each other.
He signaled for his men to hold to allow Brodie to use the ram to burst open the door. Mac would enter first with Declan and Ashton falling in behind him. Brodie would enter last, covering their backs as he entered the building. They had practiced this entry hundreds of times and had it down to a science. He tightened his grip on his weapon as Brodie turned and nodded, signaling he was ready.
They all watched him draw back his ram and swing it, slamming open the door with one mighty blow. Mac instantly flew into the room with his assault weapon high, sweeping the area. He could feel his men behind him. He swept his gaze over the corner he was to clear and found nothing. Old furniture lined the space. Declan cleared the other side. They silently moved to the hallway. Communication would be the use of hand signals, and if separated, they would then use their communicators.
Screams echoed through the hallway where a rundown-looking woman stood frozen. The expression of fear shone on her face. Two men came up behind her, releasing curses and drawing their weapons from behind them.
“CPD!” Mac shouted, identifying their team. “Put your hands in the air!”
He really didn’t feel like having to do the mountains of paperwork that would be required if he shot someone.
Instead of doing what he asked, the three turned and ran. The team pursued the targets as they’d practiced. They quickly moved through the building, guns up and eyes trained on them.
This was a dangerous situation. Targets with guns, running scared, could make an easy raid turn deadly.
Mac could feel Declan behind him as they took the hallway the first man had gone down. He fit the description of the drug dealer they were after. The back entrance of the building was covered by the other members of their team, leaving him nowhere to run. They slowly made their way down the corridor, alert and fingers on the trigger as they crept forward.
Mac’s heart raced with the anticipation of the hunt. Visions of his past life in the desert as a SEAL flashed before his eyes. He blinked, clearing his vision.
This wasn’t Afghanistan.
He again tightened his grip on his MP5, getting comfort from his weapon. They came upon a room with the door slightly ajar. He slowed and motioned for Declan to hold.
He pushed the door open and found it to be an old office. He caught sight of another door inside. He pushed forward into the room, sweeping it with his eyes and weapon to ensure it was clear. Declan eased in as they both turned toward the door.
Mac slowly moved forward and reached with one hand and swung the door fully open.
“Don’t shoot!” the guy hollered, kneeling on the floor of the closet.
“Throw your weapon on the floor and come out with your hands where I can see them,” Mac growled. His weapon was aimed on the man while he did as he’d been ordered. The handgun slid across the floor.
Declan kicked it out of the way.
“Just don’t shoot. I’m coming out,” the man snapped. His beady eyes flickered between Mac and Declan, who both had their weapons trained on him.
“Come out and keep your hands where I can see them,” Mac demanded again.
The man obeyed.
“On your knees and turn around,” Mac announced.
The man complied and released a curse as Declan swiftly moved in behind him. Declan followed standard procedures in ensuring the drug dealer didn’t have any other weapons on him.
Mac kept his weapon sighted on the man, and Declan zip-tied his wrists behind him.
